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Corruption is significantly less pervasive here in the USA than Mexico.
Of course it is, but that's what these silly comparisons ALL do..they cite similarities while making NO mention of 'degree'. Of COURSE there's corruption, class envy, crooked politicians, and poor people in the US, just as there are in Mexico, Luxembourg, or Myanamar. But the DEGREE is a little different. The poverty in Haiti is a LITTLE more pervasive than the poverty in Vermont...right?
It serves the interest of these arguments to point out that "The Mexican People", and "The American People", are just two groups in the 'same boat', bothy struggling under the oppression of their two 'despotic, corrupt, governments', and both at the mercy of their own uncaring 'rich'. But it's hardly an honest comparison....the 'degree' is different.
Factoring in Argentines and Spaniards: are you sure that Hispanics as a group are mostly 'non White'?
Especially under Hispanic culture many Mestizos self identify as being of the White race.
I do not factor in Spaniards at all. Hispanics/Latinos in this country are people of whatever racial/ethnic background whose origins are from Latin American countries with cultures that have strong Spanish (or sometimes Portuguese, as Brazilians are sometimes classified as Hispanic or Latino) antecedents.
Racial self-identification in this context is irrelevant; Latin American culture is highly white supremacist and encourages identifying with white European (especially Spanish) culture; also, there is a notion that money "whitens"; for example, many black as coal Dominicans will refer to themselves as "mulatto," while many lighter-skinned but obviously nonwhite Dominicans will call themselves "white."
Sure, Argentina is overwhelmingly white (approximately 80-85%), but there are few Argentines in America. Mexicans and Mexican Americans are still the most numerous Latin American ethnic group in the USA, and less than 20% of them are white; by white I mean people of exclusive European ancestry. To me, someone like Vicente Fox is a Mexican who is white; someone like Antonio Villaraigosa is not.
To me, someone like Vicente Fox is a Mexican who is white; someone like Antonio Villaraigosa is not.
Interesting choice of examples...is it a 'Freudian slip?'....Vicente Fox and Antonio Villaraigosa are two "Mexicans"....hmmmm. I know what you MEAN, but "Tony" is SUPPOSED to be an AMERICAN....he is, after all, the mayor of a major city.
I'm not criticizing you...and I'm sure the Mayor would be honored by your choice of HIM as an example of a "Mexican"....he DOES, after all, address speeches to his large constituency of illegals as "We"....and he even gets so impassioned that once, he claimed to "clean the toilets" of legal Angelenos.
I don't think he MEANT this, and I don't think he really cleans ANYONE'S toilet...but I DO think he identifies with illegals, more than he does with many of the 'groups' in his diverse city. And you, apparently, sense this too.
The Mayor would be honored. He might even take off his rubber gloves, lay down his brush, and shake your hand.
Interesting choice of examples...is it a 'Freudian slip?'....Vicente Fox and Antonio Villaraigosa are two "Mexicans"....hmmmm. I know what you MEAN, but "Tony" is SUPPOSED to be an AMERICAN....he is, after all, the mayor of a major city.
I'm not criticizing you...and I'm sure the Mayor would be honored by your choice of HIM as an example of a "Mexican"....he DOES, after all, address speeches to his large constitency of illegals as "We"....and he even gets so impassioned that once, he claimed to "clean the toilets" of legal Angelenos.
I don't think he MEANT this, and I don't think he really cleans ANYONE'S toilet...but I DO think he identifies with illegals, more than he does with many of the 'groups' in his diverse city. And you, apparently, sense this too.
The Mayor would be honored. He might even take off his rubber gloves, lay down his brush, and shake your hand.
Not Freudian at all, Macmeal; I had referred to Mexicans AND Mexican Americans in my earlier post. I had assumed everyone knew that Fox was actually Mexican (although of partial American background) and that Villaraigosa was American (albeit of Mexican background). And, yes, I have heard some of his speeches where he does seem to identify with indocumentados; it is funny to hear the mayor of a major American city talking about cleaning toilets......
Extremely wrong, i refuse to let my daughter watch that filth! She will watch the cartoons i grew up on, tom and jerry,bugs bunny,looney toons, not this politically correct garbage we have now a days.
you know, everytime I take a walk around Brooklyn or Queens, and hear people speaking Russian, Polish, English, Spanish, Portuguese...I think "God, this nation has to be great if people from very different backgrounds and languages are able to live together". I think multiculturalism, as long it respects basics rights, makes a nation even greater
Hasdrubal, I live in Los Angeles where multiculturalism has turned the corner from vestigial pride in one's ancestors' emigration locales and into hate-fuelled anti-Americanism. Signage and communication in English, the one language that all these folks from around the globe should know as our lingua franca within which to communicate to one another as well as to populaces anywhere else in a our country and to all business and governance resources, is disappearing. I would have to be a talented linguist and know at least 5 different languages to communicate with all the neighbors on my own block who neither speak nor understand any English whatsoever. This remains an extremely isolating, dividing line between people who must live alongside one another.
How this works in L.A. on two levels is insidious. One, lack of any English to be found on signage or by personnel in businesses that are not ethnic specialty stores says, as plain as day, anyone who is not exactly from one specific ethnic background is not welcome. That's the opposite of American ideals of equality. Two, the lack of any English spoken or understood by multi-generational enclaves here translates as disdain for American people, laws, customs and ways of going about one's business and life. They don't care a fig for Americans, i.e., anyone outside of their specific foreign national background. That's not only anti-American, that's xenophobic.
As a middle-aged female caucasian, I have been spat on by foreign nationals here in L.A. in my own country, scowled at constantly by foreign nationals ad nauseum (with inumerable, more serious interactions, such having my cars totalled by illegals driving without drivers' licenses.) I have been told that my existance as an independent American female brings out their contempt for women who aren't doormats like their own cultural expectations.
I believe naturalized American citizens to be amongst our best citizens, and the illegals I live amongst to be some of the worst, but I am an American, and not a cultural relativist. I do not want foreign nationals who chose to come here to change my country into a misogynist one that matches their former one. There are some cultures that hate women, animals and representational art. As an animal-owning, female photographer, I am someone whom they would kill as my very existence seems to "insult" them.
Poster macmeal here has noted that many cultures are incompatible. I agree. If we lose our melting pot mentality of the validity of the American democracy experiment, that of congealing folks from elsewhere into the American cultural mores and agreed upon laws that at least try for the ideals of equality and tolerance, we will descend into xenophobic tribalism. It's already happening here.
Commercials in spanish during primetime (network) tv. yes they do sneak them in from time to time.
Various products we used to purchase in the grocery stores in with labels only in English, now have them in Spanish and English.
Calling any government office, "press 1 for english, press 2 for spanish".
bi-Lingual education.
Just to name a few.
I don't get what the big deal is.
In Europe it is rare to see just one language in any location. I really don't understand why it's such a treat to you if there's people who speak a different language than you.
And WHAT IS SO BAD ABOUT BI-LINGUAL EDUCATION? All of you "speak English" people expect people to Speak YOUR language when you're in foreign countries, but then you get all huffy and puffy if anyone expects you to actually learn something.
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) and that Villaraigosa was American (albeit of Mexican background). And, yes, I have heard some of his speeches where he does seem to identify with indocumentados; it is funny to hear the mayor of a major American city talking about cleaning toilets......
